Disclaimer- I don't own Sonic and co.

Here's a long chapter because consistent word count and upload schedules are myths.

When they finally reached the outskirts of the city, Silver didn't know what to do first. It was either feel relieved that the world wasn't an incomprehensible blur anymore and he wasn't on the verge of losing his voice because of his screaming, or feel regret because he wasn't in the safe comfort of home, surrounded by unknowns and beings that might want to eat him for breakfast.

The regret won out, fright coming along for the ride.

Silver's joints locked into place, holding onto Sonic tighter as his eyes darted around. There were high reaching buildings that reflected the morning sun's rays overhead, there were cars zooming up and down the streets, and there was an omnipresent rumble coming from the people everywhere.

And by people, he meant predators.

A low whimper escaped him as his fingers trembled. "I changed my mind." Sonic had said that there wouldn't be a lot of people around; this was too much. He couldn't believe that he was thinking this, but they should have listened to Tails. "Let's go back home! I-I think my cold might be getting worse!"

Sonic coughed when arms constricted tightly around his neck. "Hey-" he wheezed, his air supply being cut off. "Would you loosen up a little? Can't…breathe…"

Silver gasped as he loosened his hold, placing his hands on the speedster's shoulders. "I'm sorry!" he hastily apologized, shocked at his own behavior. He had just hurt Sonic again, the person who had treated him with the upmost care all of his life. "I didn't mean to! I'm still getting used to this body, and-"

Sonic laughed at his frenzied words, voice regaining its strength. "It's alright, Silver, really! It was just as accident." He peeked over his shoulder to meet a guilty golden gaze. "Don't beat yourself up about it, okay? Consider it payback from the hamster ball incident and getting you sick," he uttered with a grin.

Silver didn't get a chance to respond with his own upturned lips, for his feet unexpectedly touched the ground, Sonic stepping out of the weak hold he had on his shoulders.

The loss of heat snapped Silver's focus onto the situation at hand, feeling vulnerable even though Sonic was still within arm's reach. Tense fingers found themselves wrapped around Sonic's upper arm, Silver stepping closer to urgently whisper, "But seriously, I really think we should go back home. We have food there, right? Tails said we did…"

Sonic rolled his eyes before widely gesturing to the bustling city with his unoccupied arm. "Even after lookin' at all this, you still want to go back? Where's your sense of adventure, Silv? This is exciting!"

Silver raked his fingers though his wind-swept quills, his other hand still anchored onto Sonic. He sniffed and muttered, "Considering that I've spent my whole life happily in a maximum of two rooms, it's nonexistent."

"And you don't want to change that?" Sonic prompted. It was because Silver had stayed cooped up all this time that Sonic was doing this. Silver could live his life to the fullest now, and there were too many sights to see and adventures to be had to just be satisfied doing nothing…especially with those interesting powers of his.

When Silver shook his head and gave his arm a gentle tug in the opposite direction of Station Square, Sonic didn't budge. Instead, a smirk grew. "So, you're willing to turn down the amazing strawberry themed breakfast I promised you?"

Silver hesitated this time, and Sonic had him where he wanted him. "Look, Silv, I know you're worried and all, but there's no danger out here!" Except when a particular egg-shaped human was around, but Sonic wasn't going to share that detail quite yet. "See-" He pointed down to the moving masses. "No one's eating each other! There's a bear talking to what looks like a deer, and there's a wolf holding hands with a chicken, and that cheetah and zebra seem like the best of friends-"

Silver observed silently as Sonic pointed out more and more oddities, his mind unable to comprehend why. Everything Sonic was saying was true. There were predators mingling with prey like it was natural. The ones who should be terrified are initiating the conversations, laughing, walking completely at ease with a threat at their side.

"It doesn't make any sense…" Silver breathed out in disbelief.

"Sure it does!" Sonic softly nudged him with his shoulder, making wary golds lock with shining emeralds. "You're part of my world now, Silver! One where people don't eat other people."

Silver didn't answer immediately as he rubbed an itchy eye, his unwavering trust in Sonic clashing with his internal instincts that had been there since day one.

Figuring that Silver would learn more with showing than telling, Sonic grabbed one of his wrists and pulled him forward, making Silver stumble over his own feet. "While that sinks in, I'm gonna take us to get some grub!"

"W-Wait!" Silver squeaked as he was dragged along.

"Waiting isn't really my strong suit!" Sonic chirped. He wasn't going the fastest, but his sure strides and firm grip on his wrist gave Silver no other choice but to follow.

Silver hunched his shoulders and flattened his ears as they took to the sidewalks, mixing in with the intimidating crowd. He felt his pulse in his ears as they passed animals and humans alike, dropping his gaze to the ground every time a predator walked by, which was every two seconds due to the heavy foot traffic.

He stifled dry coughs as Sonic waved to anyone they came across without a fear in the world. It was just so bizarre. They were rodents at the bottom of the food chain! And yet, Sonic was exchanging greetings with lions, tigers, and bears with his head held high.

Friendly smiles were sent Silver's way too; he ignored them, casting his stare to the sidewalk and walking closer to Sonic's side. He felt bad hearing Sonic explain over and over again that he was really shy and sick to make up for his standoffish behavior, but Silver couldn't help it. This was too new and strange.

"Hey." Silver was jolted out of his thoughts by a whisper. Sonic had slowed down so they were walking side-by-side. There was a calming smile on the speedster's face that made Silver's tense muscles unconsciously loosen. "Relax a bit, yeah? I'm sure some people believe that I'm kidnapping you because of the way you're shakin' like a leaf," he lightly teased.

Silver didn't even know he had been. He took deep breaths to combat the trembling – Sonic was there with him. Nothing was going to happen. Nothing was going to happen – before deflecting some of the blame.

He kept his eyes on Sonic, blocking out everything as they went in order to stay strong. "Well, you kinda did." He huffed before lightly shaking the wrist Sonic continued to hold. "And you were dragging me too."

"Huh?" Sonic glanced down at their hands before scoffing. "Yeah, I probably didn't make it look any better." Silver sucked in a breath when the grip loosened, and he automatically regretted opening his mouth. "The place isn't that far away, so stick close-"

"You don't have to let go!" Silver said a little too forcefully, since Sonic blinked in surprise a him. Silver reined himself back in, controlling the bout of fear that accompanied the loss of contact. He was in a new place surrounded by strangers; he couldn't lose Sonic if they were touching.

Silver's brain raced as he fumbled over his words. "I mean um…" The image of the wolf and chicken holding hands from earlier popped in his mind. He had also seen more people doing that as they passed, so it was normal, right? "I really don't want to get lost out here-" He intertwined their fingers, meeting no resistance. "-so can't we do this? No one will think you're taking me hostage."

He breathily chuckled, hiding the jitters he had from being thrust into this situation, but his laughter died off at Sonic's lack of response. Silver paused in his stride because Sonic stilled, the speedster seemingly distracted by their hands.

"Sonic?" Silver ventured, causing the other to snap to attention like he'd been slapped. That was the opposite of a normal reaction, and Silver's brow creased. "Is this not okay?" he tentatively asked because he had to be doing something wrong for Sonic to be acting like that. "I just saw other people doing it and I thought…"

"No, it's…it's fine." Sonic had to look away from the relief that flooded Silver's expression, the strange feeling in his chest and the subtle squeeze Silver gave his hand was almost too much. It was fine, wasn't it? Silver wanted to do this so he wouldn't get swept away by the crowd, which was perfectly reasonable. And he couldn't have said no; the open vulnerability had been out of place on Silver's face.

This was okay, but it would be better if Silver's smile wasn't so…so…

Sonic didn't allow his brain to finish that thought. He faced the other again, sending Silver a lopsided grin as he pointed down the street. "Let's keep it moving, shall we? The surprise isn't far!"

"This better be as good as you're hyping it up to be." Silver sniffed when Sonic started forward, more at ease than earlier. Sonic himself felt lighter now that Silver didn't seem like he completely regretted stepping out of the house.

"You just gotta wait and see!" the speedster replied jollily, fighting to ignore how well their hands molded together.

Sonic led the way as they weaved around curious citizens, some of them double-taking at the sight of the hedgehog pair. Sonic simply smiled and waved because it's normal for friends to hold hands. There was nothing weird about it especially when one friend had not one clue about social norms.

They reached their destination in under a minute, and Sonic happily breathed out when he pushed open a glass door, numerous savory smells hitting his nose at once.

The ambient mumble of the city had been replaced by soft music and the occasional chatter of the other occupants of the space. Sonic looked around, noticing a few people ordering food at the register, some waiting to the side until their order is ready, and a good number eating at booths lining the walls of the small coffee shop.

"What is this place?" Silver's eyes were wide as they gazed around in awe. Sonic didn't think the shop was anything special – just your regular homey café – but he could understand the wonder. This was Silver's first time being in one, after all.

"It goes by many names: a coffee shop, a café, Moonbucks, but most importantly…" Sonic swept his arm out to gesture to the whole space. "Your surprise!"

Silver didn't know how to take this drop of information. "You got me a coffee shop?"

Sonic snickered, pulling Silver along as he went to snag an empty table. "Not quite!" Silver followed without a fuss and stared at Sonic curiously when he ushered him into a booth. The blue hero let go of his hand to point at the register. "I'm gonna get the surprise right now. Sit tight while I go order, 'kay?"

Silver was suddenly hyperaware of everything around him, and fear gripped his heart. He forgot all about the pleasant atmosphere and focused on the hyena reading a magazine in the corner, an eagle conversing with a falcon, and a seal sweeping the floors while humming along with the song.

"I'll go with you!" Silver rushed out, making a move to stand up.

Sonic put a comforting hand on his shoulder to keep him seated. He smiled, hoping to take away some of Silver's panic. "It's alright, Silv! It's going to take me all of five minutes, and you can watch me from here." The white hedgie bit his lip in concern; Sonic had the urge to scratch behind one of his ears, but they were out in public. That surely would rise too many questions.

So instead, he patted Silver's shoulder a few times for good measure. "No one's gonna bother you. Trust me on this."

"I always trust you," was Silver's immediate response, and Sonic shouldn't be surprised at this revelation. Silver's smile was wobbly yet genuine before he scanned the shop for all of the possible dangers. "It's just that I don't trust anyone else."

"Yeah, that's kinda obvious." Sonic teased, receiving a weak glare in return. He gently squeezed Silver's shoulder before letting his hand drop. "But if I trust them not to hurt you, isn't that enough?"

Silver's thoughts stalled at that, hesitant. There was a war in his head, his instincts and his trust clashing mercilessly.

Sonic saw his internal struggle, adding, "And if something does happen – I'm not saying that it will – I'll be back by your side in a heartbeat. There's no need to worry."

That seemed to tip the war in one side's favor. Knowing that Sonic would protect him was more than enough. After one more scan of the quaint shop and its patrons, Silver released a shaky breath and nodded. "I'll wait."

Sonic grinned, happy for this important step forward. Silver would break out of his shell in no time at this rate. "I'll be back in a jiffy!"

The white hedgehog resisted the urge to reach out when the speedster jogged over to the counter, instead wringing his fingers together on the tabletop. This was fine. Silver could see Sonic cheerfully starting up conversation with one of the people in line, a human. The line wasn't too long; Sonic should order within the next minute or so.

There was little chance of someone attacking him in the next sixty seconds. Hopefully.

Silver was careful to avoid eye contact with anybody else, quietly observing Sonic as he crept closer to the register. However, Silver tensed when a ferret entered the shop and ambled up behind the hero. Sonic was the opposite. He warmly greeted the girl like she wasn't one of the hedgehog's natural predators. She lit up, pulled out her phone, and asked for a picture.

They took one together, and Silver's concern melted into confusion when she giggled and gave Sonic a surprise hug. He was perplexed about the interaction, sure, and also about how something inside of him stirred. He had no clue what it was, but the hug – even though it barely lasted a few seconds – didn't settle right with him. Maybe-

A tickling sensation suddenly attacked his nose, and he was too distracted to react in time. He managed to get his hand halfway up, but it only helped in muffling the sneeze.

Silver's body froze when he levitated out of his seat. His breath hitched as he hastily hooked his arms underneath the table to keep himself from floating up to the ceiling. His panting was harsh as he panicked, applying more force until his legs met the seat again.

He didn't have the luxury of calming down though, for the subtle glow was hadn't disappeared and he still felt completely weightless.

Frantic eyes darted over to where Sonic was only to find the speedster talking to the human behind the counter, oblivious to Silver's troubles. He desperately wanted to call out, but that would result in having all attention put on him. Silver would like to say that Sonic could take on roughly six predators at once, but he couldn't say for sure.

So instead, Silver frantically came up with ideas to stop the use of his powers. How did he keep them in check earlier? Tails being a distraction had set Sonic free and being calmed down worked when he had launched himself into the air. All he had to do was relax.

Which was easier said than done.

He swallowed thickly before attempting to soothe his jackhammering heart. He imagined the first relaxing thing that came to mind, mentally reverting back to his small hedgehog self. He was curled up on Sonic's chest, a steady heartbeat lulling him to sleep as a finger gently petted him between his ears.

Silver's eyes slipped closed when the memory morphed into another. He was cradled up in Sonic's arms now, comforting warmth surrounding him from all sides. He buried further into the hold, and the resulting chuckle sent vibrations through his body that-

"Silver?"

Said hedgehog nearly jumped out of his skin at the sound of his name, eyes flying open. Sonic eyed him as he plopped down on the other side of the booth. He placed the tray he had on the tabletop before asking, "You alright over there?"

Some of Silver's nerves went away in the hero's presence. "Yeah, I just-" The rest of his words died out when he realized that his blue aura was gone, and he was planted firmly in his seat with no threat of being stuck to the ceiling. He gasped, lifting his arms and examining them. "I did it!"

Sonic, who had been trying to figure out why Silver was falling asleep at the table, cocked his head in confusion. "Did what?"

A couple coughs escaped Silver's mouth before he explained, "I sneezed and I forgot to cover my mouth, but I stopped my powers by myself!"

His excitement was contagious, for Sonic attentively leaned forward in his seat. "Really? That's awesome, Silv!" Maybe those powers of his wouldn't be a problem for too long after all. "How'd you do it?"

"I just needed to calm down. I remembered all the times we cuddled together, and that seemed to do the trick." Silver sheepishly admitted as he lowered his arms, gaze switching to focus on the tray between them. "Is this my surprise?"

Sonic was glad for the change of subject – and for the fact that Silver wasn't a loud talker – because the mental image of them cuddling together now threatened to paint his cheeks pink.

Fighting the blush, Sonic slid the tray a bit closer to Silver, who scanned the items on it. "Sure is!" He pointed to the two round breakfast foods on a thin plate. "I got cream-cheese bagels for you and me, and-" He smirked at the couple of tall cups adorned with bendy straws. "-well, I'll let you sip that first to see."

Silver judged one of the glass cups, taking in its thick texture and pink tint. He glanced back over to Sonic, and he did a 'go on' gesture. Beyond curious, Silver picked up the cup and noted the chill of it. He stared at the straw next, unsure with how it worked, until Sonic held his own pink drink and sucked it up the plastic tube.

Silver tentatively copied his actions, and when the flavor hit his tongue, shocked golds met smug emeralds.

Sonic swallowed his own strawberry-banana smoothie with a snicker. "Pretty cool surprise, right?"

Silver didn't answer him, instead groaning as he drank more of his fruity flavored beverage. Sonic blocked out that guttural noise as best he could, going in for a bite of his bagel to keep his mind occupied.

"This is the best thing I've ever tasted!" Silver finally exclaimed after downing a third of the cup. He looked over the present again with a newfound glint in his eyes. "What's in this? I taste strawberries, but there's something else."

"It's got bananas mixed in there too," Sonic said around the bread in his mouth. "And milk, and like…ice or something."

Silver had stopped listening after he mentioned bananas, going back in for a round two.

Sonic absently sloshed his smoothie around, shaking his head in amusement as Silver went to town. When the half of the drink disappeared at a rapid rate however, he grew concerned. "Hey, don't drink it so fast because you'll-"

Sonic paused when Silver violently winced, slamming his cup on the table with one hand, cradling his forehead with another with a pained hiss.

"-get a brain freeze."

Silver whined when his head decided to rebel against him, hating that his joy also caused him so much pain. It wasn't fair. "Why…didn't you tell me before…?"

Sonic felt bad, but the discomfort should go away soon enough. "You looked like you were havin' such a good time!"

Silver's pointed look lost some effectiveness when a whimper accompanied it.

Sonic sent him a smile, resisting the urge to run his fingers through bleached quills. "The feeling will pass! Eatin' your bagel and, y'know, not downing your smoothie like it's the last thing you'll ever drink should help."

"You're the worst," Silver weakly muttered as he abandoned his strawberry treasure and took a small nibble of the bagel. It wasn't fruity perfection, but it was tasty enough.

Sonic smirked. "Nah, I'm the nicest, remember?"

Silver didn't argue that like he expected. "Yeah, you still are," he uttered with a subtle twist of his lips.

Sonic scoffed, sipping his smoothie at a more sedate pace. It still was weird to hear it, but it wasn't a jarring as the first time.

It didn't fail to warm him up inside, though.

"So…" Sonic leisurely started, aiming to get his friend's mind off the pain. "Got any questions about…anything? Our world? The city? The recipe to the perfect chili dog?"

Silver slowly leaned back in the booth, licking some cream-cheese off his finger. Thinking was harder with his brain fighting the whole process, but he somehow managed. "Um…" His gaze flickered over to the seal who was now cleaning the windows. "I know about Tails, but do you have any more friends…like him?"

It didn't take a genius to figure out what he was talking about. "Yeah, I know a larger-than-life cat, a trio of birds-" Whether they were all friends was questionable. "-a bat if that counts, a crocodile-"

"A crocodile?!" Silver looked ready to faint then in there. However, his state of dismay blew over quickly when his brow creased. "Wait, a crocodile?" The gears in his mind was turning. "Is his name…Victor?"

"It's Vector!" Sonic corrected, sitting straighter in his seat. "But how did you almost…?" Then it hit him. Silver had been in his home listening to everything for months. "You must've heard us talking about him!" At Silver's thoughtful nod, Sonic leaned his elbows on the table while pursing his lips. "So this means that you've seen at least Amy and Knuckles, right?"

After pink and red faces associated themselves with those names, Silver replied, "A hedgehog and an echidna…" Sonic perked up, and he knew that he was correct. "I've seen them a couple times I think."

"Oh man, we gotta introduce you to them! And everybody eventually!" Sonic scratched his nose in thought. "But are they gonna believe that you once could fit in the palm of my hand?"

Silver smiled at his enthusiasm, his brain freeze slowly but surely running its course. "I mean, they have to, right? You don't have a small hedgehog anymore. And I don't think they'll pass me having the same name off as a coincidence."

Sonic grinned. "True that! Their faces will be priceless!"

Silver wanted to be as eager, but, "None of your friends with sharp teeth will attack me, right?"

The speedster rolled his eyes. "The only person who might attack you is Cream with hugs. She's a bunny."

Silver brightened. "Oh, yeah! I know Cream! She came over a couple times and played with me."

Sonic rose a brow at him, his grin taking on a jeering edge. "You remember her? You gotta remember Cheese too then." He stifled his chortles when Silver pouted, biting a little harder into his bagel. "Don't be like that! He was just playing around with you."

"No, he was chasing me. There's a difference." Silver huffed. "And my stubby little legs couldn't even go that fast."

Sonic couldn't hold in his laughter that time.

Sonic breathed in the fresh air as he stepped out of the coffee shop, feeling the sun's warm rays on his face. After a moment, he peered over his shoulder at Silver. The white hedgehog was scanning the area, which contained less pedestrians as before. The morning rush had calmed.

"What do you wanna do know, Silv?" Sonic asked, catching the other's attention. "Go back home and do boring stuff some more, or explore this exciting city?"

One option sounded very tempting despite the wording of it, but Silver was reluctant. Sonic obviously desired to stay out and show him the sights, and he didn't want to be the one to drain the hero of that cheerful energy.

Sonic was going to stay by his side the whole time, so why not?

Silver held his gaze as he reached for the hero's hand. "Let's ex-" The rest of his sentence was drowned out by loud sirens blaring. "What?" Silver marginally recoiled, whipping his head in the direction of the noise.

Sonic did as well, squinting in the distance when not one, not two, but six firetrucks rounded the corner. They careened down the street, any car in their way wisely veering into other lanes.

Sonic wondered why all those trucks were needed, but he found his answer when he located where they were heading. In the distance was a huge plume of smoke rising into the sky. The source was hidden behind tall buildings, but flickers of orange flames could still be seen over the towering roofs.

Just how big was this fire?

The speedster felt his heroic senses kicking in, his gut twisting at the sight. "Hold that thought, Silver!" he said before grabbing his stunned friend's wrist. "We gotta go check this out!"

Any protest died on Silver's lips, him being yanked off his feet. He yelled when his world blurred once more. His eyes threatened to close against the onslaught of wind, but he managed to keep them squinted.

They were crossing city blocks in the matter of seconds, turning corners on the drop of a dime. This was Silver's second time experiencing Sonic's speed first-hand, and he was no closer to being used to it.

He wasn't ready for when everything jerked to a halt, stumbling when he was grounded again. Getting over the sheer rush of adrenaline, Silver was soon preoccupied with the screaming and terrified shouts that met his ears.

He would look around to see who the voices belonged to, but his eyes were fixated on one thing. The three-story high blaze in front of them engulfed an entire building, unnaturally warming Silver's front. Everything inside of him was yelling to run away because this was dangerous, but Sonic still had a grip on his wrist.

Silver clasped a shaky hand on the speedster's shoulder, ears plastered against his head. "S-Sonic, we can't be here. We could get hurt, we gotta-"

"Sonic!" Silver was interrupted by a loud wail. Both hedgehogs turned to see a disheveled woman sprinting towards them. The human was covered in soot, and tears were streaming down her face. She pointed to the burning building, arm violently trembling. Her sobs were nearly incomprehensible. "M-M-My son! H-He's-"

Sonic understood enough though. He knew he had to do something. They had beat the fire trucks here, and the building could be on its last legs. "What floor?" he barked out in haste.

"S-Second!" she answered as she fell to her knees, begging, "Please save him, p-please!"

Sonic bypassed anymore conversation, about to dart forward into the inferno. A tight grip on his upper arm kept him rooted to the spot though. His attention snapped to the one holding him back only to meet the most horrified expression he had ever seen.

Silver's eyes were blown wide, and he was shaking like a leaf in a hurricane. His voice was no better. "D-Don't! We need to g-go, Sonic! You'll get hurt if you go in there!"

Sonic jerked Silver's hand off of him as gently as he could. He hated leaving him alone, but he had no other choice. "Just stay here, okay Silver? I'll be back!"

"No!" Silver tried to grab him again, but his fingers touched nothing but heated air.

Sonic pushed his legs as he sprinted past petrified onlookers. He disregarded the front entrance altogether when he reached the burning building, instead leaping up high and curling into himself with his quills bristled.

He smashed through a window on the second story easily, the glass weakened by the smothering heat that instantly swallowed Sonic up. He landed in a kneel and yelped when the scorching tile underneath burned his knee.

The yelp turned into dry coughs as he stood up, covering his nose and mouth with his glove to minimize smoke inhalation. He didn't know how well the filter would work because the stuff was everywhere.

The air was saturated with the black smog, blanketing the ceiling and refusing Sonic to see more than five feet in front of him. What wasn't trapped in a dark haze was lit up a blazing orange. The desks and upturned chairs around him were nothing but food for the fire.

More coughs wracked Sonic's system, the constriction of his chest a clear reminder that he was on a timer. If the crackling blaze and missing child wasn't enough.

Desperate to find the son, he took a deep breath, lifted his hand, and called out, "Hello? Can anyone hear me?!"

His only answer was a thundering rumble up above that caused pieces of the ceiling to rain down. The building was falling apart, and that thought ran a chill down his back despite the insane temperatures.

He had to find that kid now.

Sonic jogged forward with his mouth covered, eyes sharp to avoid the discarded office furniture and supplies littered all over the place. He wiped his face with his free hand because sweat was already beginning to drip.

His breaths were harsh as he squinted against the smoke to find any sign of life. It was a futile effort, for the suffocating smoke only thickened as time went on.

He stopped moving after a handful of seconds, the window he entered from not visible anymore. "Answer if you can hear me!" he shouted as loud as his lungs allowed him; some of his words were swallowed up by roar of the fire.

Sonic gritted his teeth when nothing responded. He didn't let the fear-fueled desperation get to him. He had to keep moving because he had no idea how big this floor was, the location of the kid, if he was even conscious-

The speedster gasped when the roof overhead groaned and shattered. He didn't waste time looking up, dashing out of the way before he was buried under burning debris.

The crash boomed behind him, and Sonic peered over his shoulder to see the remains of a flaming desk where he had been standing. He barely had the chance to think about how strangely fast the fire was eating away at the structure of the building before he was sent sprawling to the ground.

His arms instinctively reached out to catch his fall, and they succeeded, but not before Sonic's face slammed into the metallic leg of a sideways chair.

He couldn't keep in his pained shout as his cheek blistered. Sonic rolled off the chair and stood up fast as lightning, fingers featherlight as they cradled his burned cheek.

Sonic wheezed as he inhaled more smoke, the sharp sting in his face causing his eyes to unconsciously water. He'd been in many fires in his day, but this was…

The blaze was everywhere, there was too much smoke, nothing was safe to touch, and the place couldn't have been burning for long. The firetrucks just had been notified, so it shouldn't be this intense.

Sonic sucked in a shallow breath when his ears detected something the flames tried to cover up. He didn't know if he imagined it or not, but the sound was nothing like the fire, or the creaking office, or the-

"-in here!"

He snapped his head to the right, heart leaping. The words were faint, but they were there. Clearing his throat, he threw his voice. "In where? Where are you?!"

More rumbling above nearly drowned the answer out. "-bathroom!"

"I'm coming!" Sonic took off in that direction, extra careful of his steps next time. His eyes were peeled as he hurdled over abandoned desks and swerved around flickering flames. "Keep talking so I can find you!"

"I-I'm in the boy's room!" Sonic veered a bit to the right, slowing his stride as the voice grew in volume. The trembles in his words were becoming more prominent, and so were the coughs from the kid. "It's g-getting hard to breathe…"

"Just hang in there!" Sonic skid to a stop when he reached a wall before running along it. It couldn't be too far away…here it is! When Sonic found the door, he kicked it open so hard that it slammed against the wall adjacent to it.

Sonic stepped into the bathroom, the visibility in here better than the main floor, but not by much. The smoke was thick, masking the flickering lights above. The fire hadn't spread here yet, but chunks of the ceiling steadily bounced against the floor.

A gasp tore his attention from the environment to the hunched over form tucked in the corner of the bathroom, wedged over the sink. "S-Sonic the Hedgehog! You c-came to rescue me?"

"Heck yeah!" Sonic trotted over to the boy and held out a hand. The kid didn't seem older than eight, his grip weak as Sonic helped him to his feet. He had soot all over his clothes and stringy brown hair. Sonic's lips twisted downwards at the mild burns on the kid's arms. "It's time to get outta here. Your mom's waitin' outside!"

The boy was too happy to verbally respond, eyes glossy as he nodded.

Sonic threw him a comforting grin before searching around the space. He zeroed in on the window, an idea forming. Going back the way he came was too risky, so this would have to do.

The hero bounded over to the glass and clenched a fist. He punched the glass, shaking out his hand when a shard cut his knuckles. Ignoring the blood on his glove, Sonic appreciated the cooler air that blew in as he peered out the newly formed hole in the wall.

More people had gathered around the burning building, but they had been pushed back by the horde of firemen that had arrived, preparing their hoses.

Sonic stepped back and smiled at the coughing boy behind him. "We gotta take a bit of a leap to get out of here. Do you trust me?"

The boy nodded again, smearing soot on his face as he wiped his eyes.

Sonic zipped over the kid and grunted as he gathered him in his arms. "Hold on tight!"

"O-Okay!"

Sonic crouched to ready himself before sprinting ahead and jumping out of the window. The rush of wind stung his raw cheek, but he shifted his focus off that, wanting to make a smooth landing.

There were cheers when Sonic touched down, squatting to reduce the stress on his knees. The firefighters nodded appreciatively as he let the child stand. Sonic gave them a thumbs up that was interrupted by a hug.

"Th-Thank you, Sonic!" The boy sniffed. "I don't know what would've happened if you hadn't come for me!"

Sonic chuckled when the other pulled back. "Don't think about that, 'kay? You're safe and sound! That's the only thing that matters!"

"Will? Willy!" Sonic and the kid turned to see the mom rushing over, her arms held out wide. She picked up her son in one swift motion, embracing him tightly. "I'm so sorry I left you alone! I bring you in to see how mommy works and this is what happens!"

"Y-You didn't know!" the son rebutted before returning the hug.

The mom then gave Sonic an appreciative smile, her mascara running. "Thank you so much for saving him…"

"Anytime." Sonic's expression was warm. After glancing at Will's arms, he added, "You might want to get those burns checked out. Don't want them to get worse!" She nodded and gushed out more 'thank you's as she strolled away.

When she disappeared into the crowd, Sonic's smile slipped when a certain white hedgehog was nowhere to be seen. Emerald orbs swiveled over to the burning building – watching as it was attacked by pressurized torrents of water – before shaking his head. Silver wasn't in there.

Sonic began to search for his other half in the crowd, calling out his name because he wasn't in the office building. He was out here, safe and sound. He swallowed thickly as he weaved through the onlookers, asking some of them if they had seen a white hedgehog around.

Most of his answers were no, but the one yes he got released all the tension in his shoulders. The monkey he asked pointed to a curled-up ball that was separate from everyone else. "Is that who you're looking for?"

"Yeah!" Sonic breathed out as he trotted off. "Thanks!"

He slowed once he closed the distance, able to see Silver's trembles as he tightly held his knees. Silver had his head tucked, so Sonic had to announce his presence.

Stopping in front of the obviously scared hedgie, Sonic softly started, "Hey Silv, it's-" He couldn't finish his sentence. Silver's head shot up at the sound of his voice, and Sonic's train of thought derailed at the sight of blood-shot eyes and streaming tears.

He was then sent stumbling back when Silver nearly tackled him. Sonic could only blink when shaking arms hooked around his neck, heart-wrenching sobs being cried into his shoulder.

The raw emotion took Sonic's breath away along with the crushing embrace. He understood though, the guilt eating away at him. He didn't regret what he did because the kid was now safe with his family, but still…

Sonic wrapped his arms around Silver, bringing him closer. The movement only intensified Silver's cries; tears dampened his azure fur.

"I'm so sorry, Silver," Sonic muttered. "Sorry I had to leave, but I'm back, okay? I'm here." Silver's broken whimpers continued to weaken him, and Sonic figured that he had to calm the other down for both of their sakes. He glimpsed at the building, its flames steadily dwindling down. It was safe to say that the firefighters had it from here. "Want to go home?"

The sobs reduced to hiccups as Silver wordlessly nodded. The white hedgehog moved out of the hug, sniffling as he wiped his damp face now stained with ash. "I was so scared…" he started, the beginnings of another sob cracking his voice. "When you went in there, I didn't know if…if you would…"

"But I did." Sonic animatedly gestured to himself, wanting to lift Silver's mood. "And all in one piece too!"

Silver's frown didn't let up as he focused on a specific part of Sonic's face. "Doesn't matter." His mumble was heavy with emotion. "You still got hurt."

"Oh what, this?" Sonic grazed the burn on his cheek and hid the resulting wince. He waved Silver off. "This is nothing! I do this kind of stuff all the time, so I'm used to getting a little banged up."

"Seriously?" Silver's attention hadn't drifted from the burn, his frown deepening. "Don't tell me that…"

Sonic chuckled. "As much as I appreciate you worrying about me over stuff like this, don't. Because we don't need a river of tears flooding the streets. Swimming's not my forte."

The snort the came after was nothing but a shallow puff of air, but Sonic caught it anyway. Silver shook his head and sniffled, trying and failing to hide his hint of amusement. "Don't make me laugh. I'm upset."

"Not anymore!" Sonic mentally gave himself a pat on the back when the white hedgehog rolled his moistened eyes with a cough. The hero then turned on his heel and squatted, smirking back at Silver. "Ready for another ride?"

"Not really…but I don't have a choice, do I?"

"Nope!"

It wasn't long until Silver's screams again echoed across the landscape.

Gotta love how Sonic tries his best to get his boyfr – I mean, 'platonic' friend to smile again. He's one determined hedgehog.